History of Pendleton County, West Virginia

532 records

History of Pendleton County, West Virginia. Oren F. Morton. (1910) 2006. The author has divided this history of Pendleton County, West Virginia, into three parts: chronological history (from the earliest settlement); family history (pioneers and more recent families); and statistics.

Each of these sections is detail-oriented and filled with the names of county residents.When settlement began in the 1740s, the area that became Pendleton County was largely part of Augusta County, Virginia. The chronological history begins in this context, providing details on many of the earliest land patents (and patentees) in this region. In 1778 Rockingham County was set off from Augusta, and included most of what became Pendleton County. In 1788 parts of Augusta, Rockingham and Hardy counties were set off to form Pendleton County.The author has searched diligently to identify the earliest settlers of the county, providing names of many German, Scotch-Irish and English pioneers. He also narrates the course of the French and Indian War, the Revolution, the War of 1812 and the "Period of Interstate War" in this county.In the family history section, based largely on interviews with the descendants of the pioneers, Morton covers about two hundred of the earliest families of Pendleton County. The format is highly condensed, but the author provides a clear and detailed guide to the use of his compilations. He also includes a section of "Extinct Families," in which the paternal surname is no longer found in the county, but many female lines continue.The statistical section comprises a wide range of data, including but not limited to lists of county officers, of militia members and of those subject to the poll tax.